Are you an Early Years leader?

Ireland’s early years sector has a dynamic, exciting and challenging future. It needs effective and confident leaders across the fields of practice, policy, advocacy, regulation, education and professional development.

Do you have what it takes to be one of those leaders?

Do you want to develop your leadership skills and capacities in ways that reflect and build the capacity of the early years sector?

Do you want to be part of the community of practice that will bring the early years sector in Ireland to its next stage of development?

If the answer to these questions is yes and you have at least two years experience in or related to the early years, then IT Sligo has the postgraduate programme that will help you to fulfill these ambitions.

The Institute’s new Postgraduate Diploma/Master of Arts in Leadership and Early Years Childhood Care and Education will develop key skills to help you build your own leadership capacity, to shape and influence the key organisations and agencies in the early years sector, and to effectively bring about real change.

The programme is structured around two modules each semester (Semester 1 runs from September to January; Semester 2 from January to May). You will be engaged in online content that will include online lectures (six per module) from lecturers and key leaders and experts in the field; online discussions and activities; access to digital resources; and share your own experiences. Each semester there will be a residential school in Sligo (first one is international) that brings you together with your fellow participants, academic staff and leading figures in the early years to engage in lively debate, extended learning, assessment activities and keynote lectures.

Assessment on the programme will be through a broad variety of student-centred and active techniques such as reflective journals, essays, work-based projects, digital screencasts, simulations and presentations.

The contacts and friendships you develop through this course will provide the basis for the leadership networks and communities of practice in the future.

For more information, click here or contact the programme coordinator Róisín McGlone at mcglone.roisin@nullitsligo.ie.